Selbstportrait mit dem Hut auf dem Kopf 1912

This self-portrait etching of himself with a hat on his head, was made by Max Liebermann sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. What really grabs me about this piece is the process of mark-making. It's almost like watching an artist think out loud, letting the lines flow as they come, without fussing too much about perfection. And you can tell Liebermann wasn't trying to hide anything with this work. The lines are thin and clean, sort of transparent, so you can see exactly how he built up the image, bit by bit. If you look closely at the face, you can see the little scribbles that give his skin texture, and the way the lines darken around his eyes, adding shadows and depth. There is something very intimate about this approach, because it invites us to witness Liebermann’s thought process firsthand, making us a part of the artistic experience. It makes me think of other artists like James Ensor, who also had a knack for capturing the human face with just a few simple lines. Art's just one big conversation, right?